Jeddah Historic Program finds fragments dating back to the early Islamic era

Source: Jeddah Historic District Program. Aerial view of the excavated segment of the north fortification wall of historic Jeddah.

The Jeddah Historic District Program, in cooperation with the Heritage Commission, has uncovered 25,000 fragments, the oldest of which dates from the first two centuries AH (from the 7th to the 8th centuries AD).

The fieldwork was conducted at Othman bin Affan Mosque (may Allah be pleased with him), Al-Shona, the Eastern Moat, and a segment of the Northern Wall, under the framework of the Archaeology Project which is supervised by Jeddah Historic District Program.

The announcement of the archeological discoveries is part of the efforts the Historic Jeddah Revival Project, which was launched by HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz of KSA. The Archaeology Project aims to preserve national antiquities and archaeological sites, unveil the history embedded in the kingdom's lands, and support Historic Jeddah as a cultural and touristic centre to further achieve the Saudi Vision (2030).

Archaeological survey and excavations conducted in November 2020 found 11,405 pottery shards which weigh a total of 293 kg, 11,360 animal bones totalling 107 kg, 1,730 shells (32 kg). In addition, 685 building materials were found, weighing 87 kg, as well as 5 kg of glass artifacts in 187 pieces, and 7 kg of metal artifacts (71 pieces). 

Archaeological investigations in Othman bin Affan Mosque—may Allah be pleased with him—showed that the oldest items dated back to the first two centuries AH, including the early Islamic era, the Umayyad era, the Abbasid era, then the Mamluk era, and on to modern times (i.e., the early 15th century AH up to the the 21st century AD). 

Analyses conducted on ebony pillars found on the sides of the mihrab* at the mosque revealed that these pillars likely date back to the first two centuries AH. The wood has been identified as being from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) which highlights the far-reaching trade connections of Historic Jeddah.

The artifacts discovered in Othman bin Affan Mosque include ceramic vessels and pieces of high-quality porcelain, among of which are some made in Jiangxi that potentially date back to the 10th and 13th centuries AH (the 16th to 19th centuries AD). Some of the older pottery fragments date back as far as the Abbasid era.

At Al-Shona, the chronology of the site dates back at least to the 13th century AH (19th century AD) with indications of archaeological remains that could be as old as the 10th century AH (16th century AD). Numerous pottery shards have been found at the site, comprising porcelain and other ceramics from Europe, Japan, and China, dating back to the 13th and the 14th centuries AH (the 19th to 20th centuries AD).

In addition, excavations at Al-Kidwah (Bab Makkah, or Makkah gate) revealed parts of the Eastern Moat which most likely date back to the late 12th century AH (late 18th century AD).

Moreover, several tombstones of Mangabi stone, marble, and granite were also found in different locations in Historic Jeddah. The tombstones have inscriptions of names, epitaphs, and verses of the Quran which likely date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AH (8th and 9th centuries AD), and are still under study currently.

Archaeological studies of the four historical sites included excavations, radiocarbon analysis, soil analyses, geophysical surveys, and scientific studies of the discovered artifacts. Additionally, more than 250 wood samples were taken from 52 buildings and studied in specialised international laboratories for identification and dating. Furthermore, the international archival research resulted in the collection of more than 984 historical documents on Historic Jeddah, including historical maps and drawings of the Jeddah city wall, Al-Shona, and other parts of Historic Jeddah, which are now being studied.

The Jeddah Historic District Program, in cooperation with the Heritage Commission, supervised the documentation, registration, and preservation of archaeological artifacts discovered in Historic Jeddah, and listed the finds in the National Archaeological Register. Scientific databases were also created to protect and preserve the information about the discovered artifacts.

The work of the Historic Jeddah project began in Jumada Al-Awwal, January 2020, with the preparation of exploratory studies and a geophysical survey across the four locations, including the Othman bin Affan mosque, Al-Shona, a segment of the Northern Wall, and Al-Kidwah.

*The mihrab is a niche found in mosques indicating the direction of Makkah.

Massive study to add to our understanding of Arabic

Sharjah in the UAE has begun on a project to chronicle the development in the Arabic language spanning five distinct time periods, Sharjah 24 has reported.

Spoken by more than 400 million people in the the Middle East and Africa, Arabic was the medium through which philosophers, mathematicians, and astronomers communicated during the Golden Age of Islam, said to span the 8th to 14th centuries.

Dr Mohammed Safi Al Mostaghanemi, Secretary-General of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, said: “The Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language fulfils a dream of the entire Arabic-speaking world; it is an exemplary feat that will shine light on the richness of the Arabic language.”

The Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language aims to offer insights into the world’s fifth-most widely-spoken language and serve as a linguistic resource for researchers, academia, linguists and students worldwide. It is envisioned to be a larger-scale project coupled with superb planning and funding.

Under the direct supervision of HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Arabic Language Academy (ALA) in Sharjah will lead the management and coordination of the project with the support of the Egypt-based Union of Arab Scientific Language Academies.

Experts from 10 Arabic language academies across the Arab world are currently documenting and researching the history and evolution of Arabic words. After an estimated six years, their research will form the most comprehensive historical corpus of the Arabic language to date, and also the first to cover its evolution from the pre-Islamic period through to its modern form.

The project will reference the broad history of science and arts, and delve into the scientific study of the Arabic language, including syntax, morphology, fiqh (فقه, Islamic jurisprudence), phonetics, 'aroodh (اَلْعَرُوض, Arabic prosody), rhetoric, and more.

With the digitisation of nearly 20,000 Arabic books, manuscripts, sources, and historical documents, the Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language will be designed for easy access. A digital library will host more than 40,000 titles, extracts and documents, many in digital format for the first time.

The corpus will answer questions about language use across the Pre-Islamic period, the Islamic era from Hijri years 1 AH to 132 AH, the Abbasid Caliphate, the development of nation states, and the present modern-day era. The Historical Corpus will outline the development and evolution of terms used throughout the centuries and document the entry of new words into the language over time, from word roots and derivatives to phonetic variations. It will also detail semantic changes – be it semantic shift, progression, development, or drift.


Word comparisons with Semitic languages such as Hebrew, Akkadian, Syriac, Abyssinian, and others, will be emphasised. To accomplish this task, a committee of Semitic language scholars are tracing the similarities and differences between Arabic words and their equivalents in Semitic languages.

The history of Malay seals unveiled in epic reference work

Source: NUS Press. Cover for Malay Seals
from the Islamic World of Southeast Asia.

NUS Press has published Malay Seals from the Islamic World of Southeast Asia in conjunction with the British Library.

This reference work describes and analyses the Malay sealing tradition, carefully cataloguing in full colour more than 2,000 seals sourced from collections worldwide, primarily seal impressions stamped in lampblack, ink or wax on manuscript letters, treaties and other documents, but including some seal matrices made of silver, brass or stone.

According to the publisher, seals make up an important element in the manuscript and literary culture of maritime Southeast Asia. They can throw light on the history of the Malay world, ranging from the nature of kingship, the administrative structure of states, the biographies of major personalities and the form of Islamic thought embraced, as well as on developments in the art and material culture of the region.

The Malay seals featured in the book originate from the present-day territories of Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia and the southern parts of Thailand and Cambodia, and the Philippines, and date from the second half of the 16th century to the early 20th century. Complete transcriptions and translations of the Jawi inscriptions are provided, bringing the seals to light as objects of literary and art historical analysis, and key resources for an understanding of the Malay Islamic world of Southeast Asia in the early modern period.

Jawi is an Arabic script used for writing Malay and other Southeast Asian languages.

Annabel Teh Gallop, the author, is head of the Southeast Asia section and curator for the Indonesian and Malay collections at the British Library. She was also co-director of the British Academy-funded research project titled Islam, Trade and Politics across the Indian Ocean. She has written widely on Malay and Indonesian manuscripts, and on the art of the Quran in Southeast Asia.
Details:

Buy the book (2019) at S$145

852 pp / 303 x 224 mm
Casebound
ISBN: 978-981-3250-86-4

Definitive history of Islam in Malaysia is launched

Islam in Malaysia: An Entwined History by Dr Khairudin Aljunied has been launched. This is the first book to provide an account of Islam in Malaysia according to publisher Oxford University Press.

Source: OUP.

The book investigates how Islam has shaped the social lives, languages, cultures and politics of both Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia, and charts the evolution of Malay states and societies from colonial regimes to the pluralised society that exists today.

This book covers the growth and development of Islam in Malaysia from the 11th to the 21st century, and shows how Muslims in Malaysia built upon the legacy of their pre-Islamic past while benefitting from Islamic ideas, values, and networks.

Dr Aljunied is Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore and Senior Fellow at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University. Dr Aljunied has authored and edited several books, including Muslim Cosmopolitanism: Southeast Asian Islam in Comparative Perspective (2017) and Hamka and Islam: Cosmopolitan Reform in the Malay World (2018). His research covers topics such as religious cosmopolitanism, social movements and intellectual history.

Details:

Islam in Malaysia: An Entwined History
October 2019
328 pages, hardback
£64 Buy the book or e-book
ISBN: 9780190925192

Al Ahsa Oasis now a UNESCO World Heritage site

KSA’s Al Ahsa oasis has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The oasis is considered one of the largest natural agricultural oases in the world. Named after the region in eastern Saudi Arabia, it is located about 60 km inland from the coast of the Arabian Gulf and has 65 to 70 fresh- and hot-water springs and date palms spread over 10,000 hectares of agricultural land. Experts say the region is dotted with archaeological sites dating to the Neolithic period.

According to the Saudi submission to UNESCO, Al Ahsa “was a commercial centre for the Hajar territory of Bahrain.” Historically, Al-Ahsa was the main city in Al-Bahrain province, hosting most of its population and providing most of its agricultural output. It had geographical and strategic importance to ancient trade routes, and maintained cultural links with civilisations in Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Levant. 

Prince Sultan bin Salman, President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, said the ancient region was once a hub for agricultural activities. “Its inhabitants deployed various agricultural techniques and sophisticated irrigation systems extending along the eastern areas of Al Ahsa Oasis,” he said.

Other Saudi sites that have found place on the World Heritage List include the rock-cut monuments of Madâin Sâlih in Madinah Province; At-Turaif District in ad-Dir’iyah in Riyadh; the historic Red-Sea port city of Jeddah, the gate to Makkah; and the rock art of the Hai’l region.

Source: Center for International Communication. Al Ahsa Oasis is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Archaeological findings at Ashem, KSA reported

Source: SCTH. The commercial area consists of two adjacent rows of rectangular chambers, each divided into two parts, a display area, and an inner room used as for storage. 

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) has launched an archaeological exploration at the Ashem archaeological site in Al Baha region, KSA.

The site is in the Tohama region, west of Al-Baha Province. It was already prosperous before Islam and was famous for minerals and mining, and was considered as one of the most important mining settlements in the early Islamic period. It was also a pilgrimage station on the old Hajj route linking the southern Arabian Peninsula, mainly from Yemen to Makkah on the Red Sea coast. Investigations indicate that mining activities were carried out until the sixth Hijri century (1106–1203).

The site is 600x1,500 sq m, stretching from east to west, and comprises a village with over 400 houses built of dark basalt bricks assembled without using mortar. Some of the houses have only one room while others consist of two or more.

The first archeological work was carried out on the site in 1981. It involved surveying the mining sites on its south and west sides. The survey work reported the presence of mining traces on the site besides a spread of a large number of pottery and glass fragments on its surface. The site also features stone objects for grinding grain. A survey of the site was conducted by a team from the Antiquities Sector in 2006, which also entered the site into the national digital map programme.

The current project focuses on the fenced area of the site including the market and will verify the density of archaeological objects on its surface. Tools and methods for mining will also be examined.

Archeological works have discovered walls of 45cm to 70cm in width, and outcrops of square columns, 80cm to 1m high and about 80cm x 80cm in width, in addition to terraces with heights varying from 30cm to 70cm and about 60cm wide. These are believed to have been used for sales activities. The commercial area consists of two adjacent rows of rectangular chambers, each divided into two parts, a display area, and an inner room used as for storage. 

Archaeological works have found site restoration work that may have been carried out while the settlement was active. A number of archaeological artefacts were found in the excavation area, which consisted of parts of the edges, and bases of small crockery. Medium-sized glazed pottery was also found in different colours, including light green, blue, yellow, red and brown.

In addition, a set of full crockery, a medium-sized pitcher, a small cup, semi-finished crockery, and a semi-finished light green vase were also found. Sandstone objects with smooth surfaces and some surface decoration have also been discovered. Metal-based discoveries at the site include partly-oxidised metal coins, as well as a medium-sized metal spoon, an unidentified utensil and metal pins.

The rare manuscripts and printed books of the Malay world

Banners outside the National
Library Building.

Malay has been the language of trade, diplomacy, religious discourse, and literature for maritime Southeast Asia for centuries. Tales of the Malay World: Manuscripts and Early Books, an exhibition by the National Library Board (NLB) of Singapore, explores traditional paper-based Malay literature, from handwritten manuscripts to early lithographed books.

Rarely seen items - there are only about 10,000 Malay manuscripts that survive today - provide glimpses into the society that produced and read these literary works. Jawi, a modified Arabic script was used. Islam influenced the Malay written literary tradition. Loan words include "kalam" for pen, from the Arabic qalam (قلم) .

The exhibition gives a window into the society of the past, including lesser-known stories of women authors and 19th-century lending libraries in the Malay world. It also showcases the dramatic impact of printing on the manuscript tradition, and Singapore’s role as the early Malay/Muslim printing hub for the region.

Illuminated religious works generally came from Aceh, Indonesia and literary works from the Straits Settlements and Batavia (Jakarta). The Kampong Glam area was an important hub for Islamic scholars and hujjaj. This led to early printing works in Singapore to be mostly religious. The 1860s, when Malay/Muslim printing began in Singapore, put more texts into the hands of the public and spelt the demise of the handwritten manuscript tradition. 

Printers originally started printing lithographs that reproduced the look and feel of a manuscript. A lithograph is a printing method that relies on the fact that greased areas will repel ink. Benjamin Keasberry's press was particularly admired for the way it mimicked handwritten calligraphy. By the 1900s Singapore printing had declined and Malay books came in from Cairo, Bombay (Mumbai, India), Makkah in KSA and Istanbul, Turkey instead.

Images of rare books projected onto a book-shaped form at the exhibition.

The exhibition features rare manuscripts on loan from the UK and the Netherlands, shown in Singapore for the first time. Many exhibits are on loan from the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland; most date back to the 1800s. Some exhibits come from Sir Stamford Raffles' collection. Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded Singapore.

Highlights include:

- A manuscript (copied in 1710) of one of the oldest existing syair (narrative poem), which tells of the war (1666–69) between the Dutch and Makassar; 

- The earliest manuscript on the exploits of the legendary Malay hero, Hang Tuah; 

- A copy of Taj al Salatin - Crown of Kings, which details the ideal behavior of kings, nobility and their subjects. The copy, on loan from the British Library is illuminated in gold, similar in style to a Quran, with is unusual given that most manuscripts were meant to be transmitted orally and therefore did not need any decoration.

- An 1811 letter from the sultan of Pontianak in Kalimantan to Sir Stamford Raffles.

- The earliest-known book from a Malay/Muslim printer in Southeast Asia, a Quran printed in 1854. 

- Possibly the second-earliest lithographed Quran printed in Singapore, dated 1869. As with other Southeast Asian Qurans, this Quran has got illuminated page spreads at the beginning, end and middle of the book. The pages were coloured in by hand. Qurans worldwide typically only have decorations at the beginning of the book.

Source: NLB. The Hikayat Nabi Yusuf.

The finest examples of manuscript illumination in Southeast Asia are found not in literary or historical works, but in copies of the Quran. Sumptuously illuminated Qur’ans were produced in certain artistic centres such as Terengganu and Patani on the east coast of the Malay peninsula, Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra, and across the archipelago from Java to Sulawesi and the island of Sumbawa.

Almost without exception, these exquisite works of art were anonymous, for Malay artists did not traditionally sign their artworks. However, in one finely illuminated Malay literary manuscript from the British Library currently on display in this exhibition – a copy of the Hikayat Nabi Yusuf, (The Story of the Prophet Joseph), written in Perlis, Malaysia in 1802 – the artist has inscribed his own name, and his comments and annotations shed valuable light on the mechanics of the book trade in the Malay peninsula in the early 19th century. 

Advertisement on the lift doors at the National Library Building featuring the Hikayat Abdullah, the first Malay work authored by a local - Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir. 

Associated events include:

I Can Compose and Recite Syair! workshop
3 February 2018, 9.30am – 11am
Level 5, Imagination Room
Facilitators: Dr Sa’eda Buang and Dr Kartini Anwar

Syair is a form of traditional Malay poetry that is made up of quatrains. Each line of every stanza in syair contributes to the formation of a unified idea or story.

This workshop, conducted in English and Malay, is focused on composing at least two verses of syair. Participants must understand and be able to speak simple Malay. 

Participants will be introduced to the functions and basic features of syair. They will also encounter various melodious forms of syair recitations based on the content and intent of the syair.

Register.

Guided tours and curator’s tours

What kinds of stories were popular in the early Malay world? How was the manuscript tradition different from printed books? Join the National Library's guided tours to learn about these and more.

2017 | 8 December
2018 | 5 January, 2 February

Meeting Point: Level 10, Gallery entrance
Time: 7pm – 8pm
The tours will be conducted in English
Free admission

Register for the curator’s tour on 8 December 2017.
Register for the curator’s tour on 5 January 2018.
Register for the curator’s tour on 2 February 2018.

Public Tours

Every Saturday* and Sunday** until 25 February 2018

Time: 1pm – 2pm
Meeting Point: Level 10, Gallery entrance
Led by docents
Free admission, first-come first-served basis 

A  chart of Jawi, a version of the Arabic script that accommodates sounds used in Malay but not in Arabic such as "ng" (ڠ), hard "g" as in "girl" (ݢ), and "ny" as in "near" (ڽ). There is also a character for "v" which acts like a و but with a dot on top.

Pencils and paper were available for those who wanted to try writing their names in Jawi script.

Details:

Tales of the Malay World: Manuscripts and Early Books runs till 25 February 2018 

Level 10, Gallery, National Library Building

100 Victoria Street

Admission is free.

View electronic versions of the exhibits

*Except 23, 30 December 2017 and 17 February 2018
**Except 24, 31 December 2017 and 18 February 2018

Al Ain Cultural Programme begins in UAE

As part of the annual Al Ain Cultural Programme, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has hosted three events exploring Emirati culture and heritage.

Events at Qasr Al Muwaiji (قصر المويجعي Al Muwaiji Palace) on 19 October included the Bisht Workshop, which explored the history of the traditional garment worn by UAE rulers, and the different kinds of bisht (البشت) patterns associated with each ruler. Visitors also took part in a practical sewing workshop where they created their own bisht.

The monthly Poetry Evenings season also kicked off at Qasr Al Muwaiji on 19 October where visitors could take part in educational workshops, celebrating the nation’s poets and writers.

Source: Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Poetry evening at the Qasr Al Muwaiji.

The historic Al Jahili Fort (قلعة الجاهلي) held the season’s first session of Memory of the Emirati Song with a diverse selection of performances, discussions and exhibitions exploring traditional songs from the 50s through to the 70s and original Emirati poetry that are deeply connected to the history and heritage of the UAE.

The 2017/18 programme at Al Jahili Fort will include Abu Dhabi Classics and The Trucial Scouts: Life and Times, an exhibition in collaboration with the UAE GHQ Armed Forces Administration and the Manpower Staff Museum & Military History Centre.

Visitors to Al Jahili Fort will also have the chance to participate in traditional handicrafts workshops every Tuesday, as well as police dog shows at the fort’s courtyard every Wednesday. Military band performances will take place every Thursday.

Details:

Check for upcoming events in the Al Ain Cultural Programme

Learn more about Islamic bookbinding at the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia

Source: IAMM. The Islamic Bookbinding exhibition runs till the end of the
year.

The Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia (IAMM) has just launched an exhibition on Islamic bookbinding. The Islamic Bookbinding exhibition showcases over 70 artefacts that portray the elements of book bindings from around the Islamic world. 

The art of book binding was not only concentrated in refining the design of the covers but also focused on other elements such as the doublure (inner cover) and the flap, a feature associated specifically with Islamic bindings.

Books in the exhibition are both bound and unbound. Some are kept in wooden boxes, wrapped in leather, or bound in codex form. Covers are typically of leather, lacquerwork or textiles as well as mediums such as metal and precious gems. There are also additional housings such as boxes, pouches and slipcases.

In conjunction with the exhibition, IAMM has also organised a workshop on Islamic bookbinding intended primarily for conservators, from 24 to 28 July 2017. The Workshop on Islamic Bookbinding: Understanding book structures and bindings of Islamic Manuscripts by Dr Karin Scheper will show attendees how manuscripts were bound in the Islamic world, focusing on the predominant structure but also explaining region-specific characteristics and varieties, and the strengths and functionality of the bookbinding method.

Dr Scheper is a leading authority on the subject, having carried out research on the Leiden University collection of Islamic manuscripts while working, at the same time, as a conservator at the University Library. Her book, The Technique of Islamic Bookbinding (Brill 2015), won her the 2017 De la Court – award of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

The workshop will consist of both theoretical and practical components and covers the composite structure and use of materials that will be beneficial for conservation, the development of conservation strategies and the preparation of bound manuscripts for exhibitions. Under the guidance of Dr Scheper, attendees will make a model of a bound manuscript, allowing them to practice original techniques of sewing, end-banding and covering a text block.

Interested?

Islamic Bookbinding
Special Gallery 2
IAMM
10am to 5pm (Ramadhan); 10am to 6pm (after Ramadhan)
Till 31 December 2017 - the museum will be closed for the Eid al Fitr holidays from 24 to 27 June.

The workshop has a limited number of places for conservators, and early registration is advised. Register

A special catalogue to commemorate this exhibition is available at the museum shop.

Museum of Islamic Art focus on China in new exhibit

Source: MIA Facebook page. The Treasures of China exhibition is on till 7 January 2017. 

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha, Qatar is running the Treasures of China exhibition till 7 January 2017.

The famous terracotta warriors of Xian, China from the first emperor’s terracotta army are on show as part of the exhibition. Divided into The Birth of Civilisation, Ceremonies and Kingdoms, Splendid Unification, Prosperity and the Silk Road and Porcelain, Imperial China and the Royal Arts, the exhibition involves all major historical periods of ancient China and displays 116 pieces dating from the Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty, the last dynasty before China became a republic.

Islam arrived in China within 20 years of the Prophet Muhammad's death, according to Wikipedia.

The museum plans to feature carpets next year in Imperial Threads: Motifs and artisans from Turkey, Iran and India in 2017. From 15 March 2017 to 4 November 2017 visitors to the MIA can study the exchange of artistic and material cultures between the Ottoman (Turkey), Safavid (Iran), and Mughal (India) empires. Exhibits from the museum's collection will be contextualised within the politics and artistic production of their time, primarily from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Interested?

Plan your visit

Hashtag: #TreasuresofChina

Browse Archaeological Survey of India exhibits online

Source: Google Cultural Institute. A 360-degree exploration of the Taj Mahal is available at the Archaeological Survey of India minisite at the Google Cultural Institute.

The Archaeological Survey of India is part of the Google Cultural Institute, enabling Internet users to view historical photographs of various landmarks online, including photographs of the Taj Mahal from the late 1800s up to the present day, views of various mosques, including the Qutubuddin Mosque and the Moti Masjid, and several perspectives of Humayun's Tomb.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture of India, is the premier organisation for archaeological research and the protection of the nation's cultural heritage.

Interested?

Visit the Archaeological Survey of India at the Google Cultural Institute, including the 360 degree museum views of the Taj Mahal

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on the al Sabah Collection at the Google Cultural Institute

Read Ars Orientalis back issues for free

The Smithsonian's Museums on Asian Art, the Freer and the Sackler, have made digitised versions of Ars Orientalis volumes 1 to 44 free of charge to viewers worldwide. This has been made possible with help from Smithsonian Libraries and the Internet Archive.

The volumes, which are published annually, can be viewed online, or downloaded for offline reading. Each volume features 10 to 12 articles, often around a central theme.

Volume 44 (2014) features Signs of the Hour: Eschatological Imagery in Islamic Book Arts by Christiane Gruber, while volume 43 (2013) is on imagery and has articles on Ottoman Photography, Painting, and Drawing at the Court of Sultan Abdülaziz by Mary Roberts; Royal Portrait Photography in Iran by Ali Behdad, and Photography and Afghan Diplomacy in the Early Twentieth Century by Holly Edwards.

Interested?

View the free back issues 

Buy print issues for US$60 each (individual international purchases), inclusive of digital access

posted from Bloggeroid

Getty Publications offers free titles in PDF

The Getty Publications Virtual Library offers free digital backlist titles from the Getty Publications archives. The titles may be read online, or downloaded in PDF form.

The library featured 250 titles at its launch in January 2014, "available as high-quality scans to read online, or to download in their entirety, for free", the organisation said in a blog post.

Publications of note include:

The Ardabil Carpets
Rexford Stead, 1974
50 pages, PDF file size: 11.9 MB

This is a study of two Persian carpets, from the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century, believed to be "among the finest ever produced". The carpets, one now at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the US and the other in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in the UK are believed to have been offerings during the Safavid dynasty in sixteenth-century Persia.

The Arts of Fire: Islamic Influences on Glass and Ceramics of the Italian Renaissance

Edited by Catherine Hess, with contributions by George Saliba and Linda Komaroff, 2004
184 pages, PDF file size: 14 MB

Published to coincide with an exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum, The Arts of Fire demonstrates how many of the techniques of glass and ceramic production and ornamentation were first developed in the Islamic East between the eighth and twelfth centuries.

*Images from Getty Publications website

The Garden of Hadith Scholars is available in an English translation from Turath Publishing

Source: Turath Publishing
website.

Bustan al-Muhaddithin, translated from Persian into Arabic and annotated by Muhammad Akram Al-Nadwi, and translated in turn into English by Aisha Bewley, is a new offering from Turath Publishing.

The book, by Shah 'Abd al-‘Aziz Dihlawi, is a popular anthology of hadith sciences, major books of hadith, and muhadditheen, or people who transmit stories about the Prophet (ﷺ).

Shah 'Abd al-‘Aziz Dihlawi (1745-1822) was born in Delhi, India, and was a leading Muslim scholar of his time. Dr Muhammad Akram Al-Nadwi, who translated the work from Persian into Arabic and annotated it, was born in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is the author and translator of over 25 books on the Islamic sciences and the Arabic language. 

The paperback has 382 pages and costs £17 at the Turath Publishing online store. The company ships worldwide.

500 years of Turkish Coffee remembered at the Topkapi Palace Museum

Source: Topkapi Palace Museum website.

The Topkapi Palace Museum is hosting A Drop of Pleasure: 500 years of Turkish Coffee in collaboration with the Turkish Coffee Culture and Research Association. 

The exhibition is on till June 15 2015, and was inspired by the entry of Turkish coffee culture and tradition into the UNESCO "Non-Material Heritage" list in 2013. 

The museum separately announced that the first and third halls of the Treasury Section will be closed to visitors till August 14, 2015 for restoration.

Singapore's PGJC calls for Malay Muslim pioneers to share stories for a commemmorative book

As Singapore celebrates its Golden Jubilee, the Pioneer Generation Joint Committee (PGJC), chaired by Speaker of Parliament Madam Halimah Yacob, will honour the contributions of our Malay-Muslim pioneers towards nation building through a commemorative book and exhibition. 

The committee will feature 50 Malay/Muslim first-generation Singaporeans in the book, focusing on stories of hope, struggle and aspirations of the Singapore’s Malay/Muslim pioneers. 

The PGJC invites members of the Malay/Muslim community to nominate deserving pioneers from all backgrounds to share their stories and to have these stories chronicled in the commemorative book. Nominations are open to all pioneers who are still living or who may have passed on and can be made until 15 May 2015, here. 

Museum to be built at Humayun's Tomb in Delhi

Source: Aga Khan TC (AKTC). Dr Mahesh Sharma, India's Minister of Tourism & Culture and His Highness the Aga Khan at the ceremony marking the laying of the foundation stone of the new Humayun's Tomb Site Museum. Credit: Narendra Swain, AKTC.

His Excellency Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister of Tourism & Culture, and His Highness the Aga Khan have launched construction of a site museum at the Humayun’s Tomb Complex, one of the 25 Adarsh or “model” monuments recently designated by the Government of India’s Ministry of Culture. The launch took place in early April, and construction is expected to take 30 months.

Two million people visit the Humayan’s Tomb complex annually, including over 500,000 children. In response to the dramatic increase in visitors, the Archaeological Survey of India called for the creation of a Site Museum. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) – which has undertaken conservation works on over 50 monuments in Delhi, including the restoration of Humayun’s Tomb – proposed the construction of a state-of-the-art site museum to be built at the entrance to the World Heritage Site. The Ministry of Tourism has pledged Rs 49 Crores (US$8 million) towards the construction cost of the Site Museum.

India’s Minister of Tourism & Culture, Dr Mahesh Sharma, said that the project was “a classical example of synergy between the government and a non-profit organisation in preserving the heritage of the country and taking it to the world.”

The Museum’s aims include a better understanding of Mughal architecture and building craft traditions, but it will also shed light on the development of the Nizamuddin area over the last millennium.

His Highness the Aga Khan also remarked that the Museum will allow visitors to learn more about how the Mughal “legacies were built, how they served the court and society more generally, and what they have meant since. They will also be able to share in the lessons that have been learned as these sites have been restored - in ways that have enhanced the social and economic life of the surrounding communities. New jobs have been created, new skills have been mastered, new commercial opportunities have been opened, and new environmental protections have been fostered.”

The Site Museum will include a permanent exhibit, galleries for temporary exhibits, an auditorium for film screenings, a souvenir shop and a café. Live demonstrations of building crafts such as stonework and plaster work, as well as other prominent Mughal crafts, will be a permanent activity.

The Museum is also expected to serve as a starting point for tourists interested in touring other prominent monuments of Mughal India, including the Taj Mahal, which was built after – and inspired by – Humayun’s Tomb.

The sunken, low-profile design, which was inspired by the traditional baolis of northern India, ensures that the visual aesthetics of adjacent 16th century monuments, such as the Sabz Burj, Isa Khan’s Tomb and Sundarwala Burj, will not be disturbed.

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) has been carrying out conservation work in the Humayun’s Tomb area for nearly 15 years. Its engagement began with the Humayun’s Tomb Garden revitalisation project, a gift to India made by His Highness the Aga Khan on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.

Through a subsequent public-private partnership (PPP) created at the invitation of the Government of India, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture’s engagement in the area expanded. Under the PPP, a broader urban revitalisation project was created to encompass an urban renewal initiative in Nizamuddin Basti, the redevelopment of the Sundar Nursery - Batashewala Complex into a 100-acre city park, significant improvements to the quality of life for the residents of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, the conservation of Humayun’s Tomb itself, and the restoration of associated structures.

Read our blog post on the Batashewala Complex here.

Oxford encyclopedias on Islam are ideal companion volumes

Source: OUP website.

Two sets of encyclopedias on Islam were published by the Oxford University Press (OUP) within months of each other last year. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Politics (ISBN: 9780199739356) provides in-depth coverage and discussion of the political dimensions of Islam and the Muslim world. 

Developments in Muslim societies in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have highlighted the need for a major reference work focusing primarily on these dimensions, says the OUP. The encyclopedia covers major turning points in contemporary Muslim history, including:

• The realisation of internal decay and relentless quest for reform
• The collapse of the Islamic caliphate
• The fall of most parts of the Muslim world under western colonialism
• The emergence of nation-states
• The dominance of secular ideologies
• The rise of Islamic revivalist movements and faith-based political, economic, and social alternatives
• The confrontation between Islamic movements and secular inspired regimes

Based on the 2009 The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Politics brings together over 400 new and updated entries to create a single, specialised reference source on this important topic. The two-volume set runs to 1,452 pages and costs US$395.

Source: OUP website. 

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Science, and Technology in Islam, first edition, was published May 2014 (ISBN: 9780199812578). This US$395. two-volume set runs to a total of 1,152 pages, and provides an overview as well as a comprehensive and detailed survey of the main features of philosophy, science, medicine and technology in the Muslim world. 

The more than 250 A-Z entries cover of Islamic philosophy, sciences, and technologies from the classical through contemporary periods. The tone is scholarly, based on primary and secondary sources, and aimed at advanced students of Islamic philosophy and science. The selection of entries as well as their content reflect the most recent research in the field, providing scholars and advanced students with an authoritative reference work.

First book to study tafsir as a genre published

Source: OUP website.

Tafsīr and Islamic Intellectual History: Exploring the Boundaries of a Genre (ISBN 978-0-19-870206-1), is part of the Oxford University Press' Qur'anic Studies Series. The volume offers the only up-to-date survey of scholarship on tafsīr as a genre and its place within the broader framework of Muslim scholarship.

The 400-page hardback, launched in January 2015, represents the first attempt at analysing the fields in which Muslim exegetical activity takes place, its relation to other fields of learning and the conditions that influence the results of exegesis. The £55 book discusses the emergence of the genre in the beginnings of Islamic history and the changes and potential ruptures it has experienced in later times, the role of hadith, law, language, philosophy, theology and political ideology for the interpretive process, the regional dimension, the influx of modernist ideas and the process of writing tafsīr in languages other than Arabic.

Questions answered include: 

• How and when did Qur'anic exegesis (tafsīr) emerge as a literary genre of its own? 
• To what extent was it influenced by other disciplines, such as law, theology or philosophy
• How did different political or theological agendas shape works of tafsīr, and in what ways did the genre develop over time and in different regions?

Edited by Andreas Görke, Lecturer in Islamic Studies, University of Edinburgh, and Johanna Pink, Professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Freiburg, the book consists of essays from 15 contributors who are leading scholars in the field or young researchers, providing a mix of perspectives. 

Jordan becoming popular for religious tourism

Over a thousand visitors were recorded at the tombs of Prophet Mohammed's companions in the Southern Mazar district in Kark, Jordan in February.

Site supervisor Usama Tarawneh told the Petra News Agency that of the 1,206 tourists who visited the shrines, 558 were from Islamic countries, 363 were from Arab states and 285 were Jordanians.

The shrines are witnessing an increasing number of visitors, highlighting Jordan’s security and stability and the country’s importance in terms of religious tourism, Tarawneh said.

The religious significance of the Southern Mazar sites dates back to the year 629, when the leaders of the Muslim army Jaffar Bin Abi Taleb, Zeid Bin Haretha and Abdullah Bin Rawaha were killed in the Mutah battle against the Byzantines.